By LUCY OGALUE

Nigeria is set to inaugurate a Master?s programme in International Trade, through the support of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), awarded to Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka.

The Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, confirmed this when the Nigeria Ambassador to the WTO led a delegation to visit her on Monday in Abuja.

Oduwole said the programme would be captured under a four-year endowment of 200,000 Swiss Francs from the WTO to UNIZIK.

She described the award as a significant milestone for the country, as this was the first time Nigeria had secured such an endowment in its 30 years of WTO membership.

?This is a big one for Nigeria. The programme focuses on key areas such as digital trade in Africa, MSMEs, the circular economy, and women?s entrepreneurship.

?It aligns with our priorities at the ministry and will effectively strengthen Nigeria?s capacity to implement WTO and African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) policies,? she said.

Oduwole lauded the efforts of Prof. Ngozi Egbuna, the lead researcher, and expressed pride in the initiative, which she described as a perfect fusion of academia and government collaboration to advance trade policy.

?I believe that with the success of Nnamdi Azikwe University, through your programme, Nigerian universities will be able to attract even more shares from the WTO and similar institutions.

?This is what Nigerian universities need to switch a bit to the academic side,? she said.

Amb. Adamu Abdulhamid, Nigeria?s Permanent Representative to the WTO, highlighted the competitive nature of the WTO Chairs Programme (WCP).

?This programme is domiciled in the WTO and supports academic institutions globally to strengthen trade policy research and capacity building,? Abdulhamid said.

He explained that 27 Nigerian universities applied for the programme, with Nnamdi Azikiwe University emerging as the winner after rigorous screening.

?This initiative will run for four years, addressing digital trade in its first year, MSMEs in the second, the green economy in the third, and women?s entrepreneurship in the final year,? Abdulhamid said.

He commended the WTO Director-General, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, for her leadership and consistent support for Nigeria.

The Acting Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Prof. Joseph Ikechebelu, expressed pride in the university?s achievement and pledged full institutional support for the programme.

?This project underscores our capacity for research and development and we are committed to ensuring its success.

?This includes developing a Master?s programme in International Trade, which will strengthen Nigeria?s academic and economic landscape,? Ikechebelu said.

He assured that the university?s curriculum committee would fast-track the establishment of the programme, which is expected to start by the next academic session.

Meanwhile, Egbuna, who is also the head of the Prof. Ngozi Egbuna International Center for Regional Integration and Trade Research (ICRITR) at the university, described the endowment as a call to action.

?This is a great responsibility and an exciting opportunity. We are poised to deliver a hands-on programme which integrates academics, practitioners, and policymakers,? Egbuna said.

She emphasised the center?s role in regional integration and trade capacity building, adding that the initiative would position Nigeria as a hub for trade research and development.

Egbuna said that the center would collaborate with global institutions, including other universities within the WTO Chairs Programme network, to ensure impactful research and policy outcomes.

She said the programme was a significant step toward trade policy formulation, academic development, and economic capacity building for Nigeria. (NAN)

?PHOTO: L-R; Amb. Adamu Abdulhamid, Nigeria?s Permanent Representative to the WTO, Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, Prof. Ngozi Egbuna, the head of the Prof. Ngozi Egbuna International Centre for Regional Integration and Trade Research (ICRITR) , Acting Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Prof. Joseph Ikechebelu, and the ministry?s Permanent Secretary, Amb. Abba Rimi during a visit on Monday in Abuja.

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